Cruz: Will work with Martians

Don’t call Ted Cruz senator yet, although the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate is key in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994.

“At this point, I’m just another candidate asking for the support of the voters of Texas,” Cruz said in an interview Friday.

Asked if he’ll debate former lawmaker Paul Sadler, the Democratic nominee for the post being vacated by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Cruz said, “Oh, sure. Of course.”

Cruz said he’ll work “very, very closely” with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, if elected to the U.S. Senate. He also expects to work closely with the conservative cadre led by U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., that’s trying to push the GOP agenda further right.

“I am happy to work with anybody – Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Martian –as long as they’re willing to step up and cut spending and turn around the debt,” he said.

On a personal spending note, Cruz ended up putting a net nearly $1.2 million into his campaign, after repaying part of what he invested. He said that he and his wife “squeezed virtually every liquid asset we had into the race.”

“I will say it is an interesting conversation with your spouse when you discuss the possibility of investing your life’s savings into a campaign. But both Heidi and I believed that this race was important, that our nation is at a crossroads, and there is an incredible need for leadership to help turn it around,” he said.

His campaign’s “overwhelming need” was to have enough money for television and radio advertising to be sure his message got out to voters, he said. “The vast majority of the money raised in the campaign went to that.”

Cruz’s campaign has drawn the voter excitement lacking in Mitt Romney’s bid for the White House, but the former state solicitor general and tea party favorite said he’s “hopeful and optimistic” about Romney’s chances.

“ I would be happy to do anything I can to assist (former Massachusetts) Gov. Romney,” he said. “I think beating Barack Obama in November is the No. 1 political priority in the country.”